Tamar Halpern
Tamar Halpern is a writer and director living in Los Angeles. She holds an M.F.A. degree from the University of Southern California's School of Cinematic Arts.[1]
Career
Tamar Halpern is a writer and director of eight feature films, including the documentary on artist Llyn Foulkes called Llyn Foulkes One Man Band, co-directed with Chris Quilty. Halpern met Foulkes when they were neighbors in Los Angeles, and after becoming friends she cast him in her previous feature film Your Name Here.[2][3] Llyn Foulkes One Man Band screened in competition at L.A. Film Festival, had an Oscar qualifying theatrical run, and has been renewed for a second year on Netflix.[4]
Shot over seven years as Foulkes struggles to find acknowledgement in the international art world, The Hollywood Reporter said, "Foulkes is a joy to watch",[5] and Variety compared the film to Searching for Sugar Man and Cutie and the Boxer.[6] With commentary by Dennis Hopper, Johnny Carson, Paul Schimmel and George Herms, the documentary chronicles the execution of two Foulkes paintings The Lost Frontier (1997-2004) and Deliverance (2004-2007). The film also features extended interviews and musical performances of Foulkes' one-man band contraption called "The Machine".
Halpern has written and directed three features for Lifetime Network in 2017/2018. Previous work includes Jeremy Fink and the Meaning of Life which Halpern adapted from the children's book of the same name by Wendy Mass,[7] starring Mira Sorvino, Joe Pantoliano, Ryan Simpkins, and Michael Urie, with music by Edie Brickell and Sing-Sing. Halpern's feature Shelf Life starred Betsy Brandt of Breaking Bad and was called a "whip-smart film that taps into a fresh source for American comedy" by Variety.[8] Halpern's short comedy Death, Taxes and Apple Juice was invited to 40+ festivals, winning 16 awards including Boston Women in Comedy [9] and L.A. Short Film Festival.[10]
Halpern's short story, "The House Where the Grifters Squat," was written during a funded writing residency at Hedgebrook,[11] and went on to win Sundress Publications' Best of the Net Award.[12] Halpern is also a contributor to the Huffington Post.[13]
A nominated 2016-2017 Film Expert for American Film Showcase[14] and the US Dept. of Education, Halpern has taught in Amman, Jordan and is a visiting screenwriting professor at USC. She has written and directed commercials and digital campaigns for Amazon, DPS, Visa, EventBrite, Pepsi, YSL and Armani, among others, has a background in interactive multimedia and is a founder of the internet startup CitySearch. She holds a BA in Broadcast Journalism and an MFA in Film Production, both from USC. Her son is the composer Jordan Halpern Schwartz.
References
- "USC Visions & Voices".
- "Your Name Here". Variety.
- "Your Name Here". Gawker.
- "Llyn Foulkes One Man Band". Watch on Netflix.
- "Llyn Foulkes One Man Band LAFF Review". Hollywood Reporter.
- "Llyn Foulkes One Man Band Film Review". Variety.
- Mass, Wendy. "Blog".
- "Shelf Life". Variety.
- "Death, Taxes and Apple Juice". Brattle Theatre Women in Comedy Festival Film Night.
- "Death, Taxes and Apple Juice". One Day University: Eight Short Films Every Movie Lover Should See.
- "Hedgebrook Alumnae". Archived from the original on 2012-07-26.
- "Best of the Net 2010".
- "Huffington Post".
- "Tamar Halpern". American Film Showcase.
External links
- Tamar Halpern on IMDb
- Tamaroland Pictures Website
- Film New Europe: Production Missing In Europe Wraps Production in Serbia
- Look What She Did: Tamar Halpern on Nellie Bly
- LA Times: L.A. Film Fest: Llyn Foulkes: One Man Band goes inside the artists' studio
- LA Times: Maverick Llyn Foulkes is finally inside the art world — at age 79
- American Film Showcase: Tamar Halpern bio
- New York Times review: Llyn Foulkes One Man Band, A Documentary
- Film Independent: 10 Questions with Tamar Halpern and Chris Quilty of Llyn Foulkes One Man Band
- Moveablefest: Tamar Halpern and Chris Quilty on Orchestrating Llyn Foulkes One Man Band
- VIMOOZ: Interview with Tamar Halpern and Chris Quilty, Documentary Llyn Foulkes One Man Band to Premiere at LA Film Festival
- USC News Film Review: Documentary Profiles Consistently Inconsistent Llyn Foulkes
- Offramp: Artist Llyn Foulkes Once Neglected Young Turk Star
- Los Angeles Magazine: Mickey Mouse, Dead Cats, and One Man Bands: The Llyn Foulkes Documentary
- Filmleaf review: Llyn Foulkes One Man Band (Tamar Halpern, Chris Quilty, 2013)
- Artnews: Thats All, Foulkes
- BBC culture story: Llyn Foulkes: The art world's one-man-band
- Port Townsend Film Festival - Women & Film Current Program, Tamar Halpern bio
- Voyage L.A. Interview: Meet Tamar Halpern of Tamaroland Pictures in Eastside
- Film Threat Review: Jeremy Fink and the Meaning of Life
- Director Tamar Halpern with Actress Mira Sorvino at NYC Premiere of Jeremy Fink and the Meaning of Life
- New England Film: An Interview with Filmmaker Tamar Halpern
- Correatown: Music video directed by Tamar Halpern
- Movie Magg Film Review: My Daughter Is Missing
- Deuxiéme Page: Interview with Tamar Halpern
- Comediva interview
- Halpern, Tamar. "The House Where The Grifters Squat". Joyland.